The Queensland 2027 standard
Queensland has phased in interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms: every bedroom, between bedrooms and exits, on every level, and interconnected (one goes off, they all do). Already required for sold or leased homes; by 1 January 2027 the same standard applies to every owner-occupied home. We install to the full standard now — half-compliant setups need redoing in a couple of years anyway.
10-year sealed battery vs hardwired
10-year sealed lithium photoelectric alarms are compliant under the legislation when interconnected. Hardwired alarms with battery backup are arguably more reliable long-term but more expensive to install. For most existing homes, sealed battery is the practical retrofit — they meet the law, no nuisance 3am beeps from flat 9Vs, and the whole unit gets replaced at year 10 rather than serviced.
Compliance certificate
After install we issue a Certificate of Compliance covering placement, interconnection and that the alarms meet AS3786:2014. This is the document a property manager, sales agent, conveyancing solicitor or insurer can keep on file. For rentals, part of the standard handover; for sales, part of disclosure your solicitor will want.
Who we work with
Owner-occupier
Interconnected photoelectric alarms to Queensland 2027 standard.
Rental
Compliance install + certificate for property manager and insurer files.
Sales
Pre-sale compliance for vendors required by current Queensland law.
Body Corp
Multi-unit portfolio rollouts with batched compliance certificates.
Questions, answered.
Six to eight evergreen Q&As — the things customers actually ask before booking us for smoke alarm installations.
What does Queensland law require for smoke alarms in homes?
Queensland has phased in interconnected photoelectric smoke alarm requirements: every owner-occupied home being sold or leased after 1 January 2022 must have photoelectric alarms in every bedroom, between bedrooms and exits, on every level, and they must be interconnected (when one goes off, they all do). By 1 January 2027 the same standard applies to every owner-occupied home, regardless of sale or lease status. We install to the full standard now — there's no value in installing a half-compliant setup that needs redoing in a couple of years.
Are 10-year battery alarms enough, or do I need hardwired?
10-year sealed lithium battery photoelectric alarms are compliant under the legislation, as long as they're interconnected. Hardwired alarms (with battery backup) are arguably more reliable long-term but more expensive to install. For most existing homes, the 10-year sealed battery option is the practical retrofit — they meet the law, they don't beep at 3am because of a flat 9V, and after 10 years the whole unit gets replaced rather than serviced. We can quote either path.
How many alarms will my home need?
Depends on the layout. A typical 3-bedroom single-storey Queenslander or post-war is usually 4–5 alarms (one per bedroom, one in the hallway between bedrooms, one near the living area or as required by the layout). Two-storey homes need at least one alarm on each level plus the per-bedroom rule. We'll do a quick site walk-through when we arrive, count what the layout actually needs, and quote on the spot.
Is this the same compliance certificate that real estate agents and insurers want?
Yes. After install we issue a Certificate of Compliance covering placement, interconnection and that the alarms meet AS3786:2014. This is the document a property manager, sales agent, conveyancing solicitor or insurer can keep on file. For rental properties this is part of the standard handover; for sales, it's part of the disclosure your solicitor will want copies of.
How long does an installation take?
Average 3-bedroom home: usually 1.5–2 hours for the full interconnected install, including testing. Larger homes or two-storey homes can run 3–4 hours. We don't make a mess — patching is rarely needed because the alarms surface-mount to the ceiling and we use existing wiring paths where possible. You can be home or out; we just need access.
Can you do this across a portfolio of rental properties?
Yes — many of our property-manager clients book us across a portfolio in a scheduled rollout. We can coordinate access, work to tenant-friendly hours, and produce the compliance certificate per property in a batch the agent can keep on file. Pricing is usually better per-property at portfolio scale than booked one-off.
Do you also test and maintain existing alarms?
Yes — annual testing is a sensible routine even with sealed 10-year alarms (battery health, interconnection still working, no nuisance triggers). We can roll this into a wider preventative-maintenance plan that also covers safety switches, RCD testing, and general electrical compliance for landlords, body corporates or aged-care facilities.